Goodbye Blog, Goodbye AZ

Hard to believe the time has come. But here it is. When I started this blog my goal was to have a fun and easy way to share photos and stories of my kids with our relatives far away. After a while though, I realized my blog had morphed into a precious gift. A keepsake, of my days as a stay at home with them.  I found a company that publishes blogs into a book. So I am going to have this blog printed for them and for me. It was then that I decided then that I would keep the blog going until both my children were in Elementary school. Well my peanut has started Kindergarten so here we are.

It is fitting that we are ending this blog however, cause we are also moving! We are relocating to Charlotte, NC. A new start for all of us! I have decided to start a new blog though. This one, will be for me however, not the kids. A place where I can share everything that speaks to me. I can talk about anything I want to. My kids, my adventures, exploring a new City, crafting, pinterest, fitness, inspiration, my own struggles, my successes, my failures, my fun! Come find me over there at www.charlottemom.blogspot.com

To Ella and Ryen, Love Mommy

First Day of School 2013-2014 (part 1)

So here we are again! 2013-2014 school year is here already! I can not believe I have a Kindergartner and 2nd Grader. The first time in 7 years that I do not have a baby at home. :( New times however, bring new experiences, new opportunities and new memories to make. Here they are!



Ella- 2nd Grade



Ryen- Kindergarten



Our big girl!!



Riding the bus like a big girl.



In her classroom ready to start the day.



Must have been a good day at school cause they both came out smiling!



This is sort of a test run for my girls however, since they will have another "first day of school" in one month at their new school in Charlotte. :)

Summer Pool Fun

These are some pics I wanted to add of all the fun we had enjoying our last Summer in AZ. We spent a lot of time in our pool at home and at our favorite water park. We sure will miss having the pool that convenient, but so glad our new neighborhood is going to have a pool too!

Graffiti Walk

Today the girls and I were near Phoenix Children's Hospital and we came across this really cool section of buildings that were covered with really awesome sugar skull graffiti. I begged the girls to get out and do a little photo shoot! They did!

10 in 10 Update for 2013

I start off every New Year with my 10 in 10 list. 5 years ago I was inspired by the movie The Bucket List to make a list of things I hoped to do, see, accomplish in my life time. The whole idea behind 10 in 10 is that a bucket list can seem a little overwhelming. Especially as you get older and realize you are STILL not crossing anything off it. So the 10 in 10 was a way for me to narrow down my list. I choose 10-20 of the things I think I can REASONABLY accomplish in the next 10 years and then see how many I can cross off.

Just making the list makes you motivated to cross the stuff off. Almost like once you touch the pen to paper or type the letters on the keypad, these tasks, trips, and goals don't seem just like an idea anymore. They seem like a calling. They take on a life of their own. At least for me. So I've actually been crossing more than one off a year and hope to keep doing so. Especially since my bucket list is pretty long. :)

PS: the list changes every year as I cross things off and as I am inspired to add new things to it. :) Here are my newest 10 in 10 for 2012 followed by the items I have crossed off my bucket list in the last couple years...

1. Learn to sew
2. Take Ryen to Disney for her 5th Birthday
3. Try rollerblading for the first time
4. Picnic/horse and carriage ride in Central Park
5. Take my girls to Fenway Park
6. Sky Dive
7. Work on a house for Habitat for Humanity
8. Snorkeling in Australia
9. Go back to Hawaii
10. Visit Chicago
11. Visit Seattle
12. Go to Atlantis in the Bahamas
13. Ride a tandem bike with my hubby
14. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
15. Go ice skating again
16. Renew my vows in Italy
17. Take some cooking classes
18. Go to Europe
19. A tropical vacation
20. Volunteer at a Hospital
21. Get involved in a local Church
22. Help spread the word about skin cancer prevention
23. Become a substitute teacher for Chandler Unified School System

Crossed off the list:
Have another Baby (2008)
Become a Brunette (2009)
Complete a Triathlon (2009)
Start a side-Business from home (2009)
Renew my Wedding Vows (2009)
Get really into fitness (2009/2010)
Go Skiing for the FIRST time (2010)
Get on the Bone Marrow Donor Registry (2010)
Become a runner (2010)
Run a Half Marathon (2010)
Take a photography workshop (2010)
Donate my hair to patients with cancer (2010)
Take my children to Disney (2011)
Take my kids to Polar Express (2011)
Buy a bike (2011)
Swan boat ride and duck tour in Boston (2012)
Volunteer in my community (2012)

Happy New Years Eve!

One thing I do every year on New Years Eve is walk outside at midnight. No matter what I am doing, I walk out of my house, close my eyes, take a deep breath, let it out, and turn and walk back in. I got the idea from someone years ago, but can't remember who. The idea behind it is that you are walking out on the previous year, letting go of everything bad you may be holding on to, and turning to face the New Year with a clean slate and a clean heart and mind.

This year my girls and I did something new, we took a bubble bath tonight. We washed away all the bad things we said and did this year. All the time outs, all the times I yelled, all the times we got hurt and all the times we weren't kind to each other. We let it all go and forgave so we can start the year with a clean slate :)



We also got a message from our Elf on the Shelf who is missing us but happy to be home with Santa!



"A brand new year! A clean slate on which to write our hopes and dreams. This year: Less time and energy on things; More time and energy on PEOPLE. All of life’s best rewards, deepest and finest feelings, greatest satisfactions, come from PEOPLE--
people like you... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" -Joanna Fuchs

Who knew he was so handsome AND wise! :)

25 Days of Christmas - Home Alone

So my girls and I had a laid back Christmas activity tonight so that we could save our energy for the next two days of CRAZY Christmas fun! We watched Home Alone for the first time ever.



And this was their favorite part! The aftershave... they giggled and laughed out loud both times! ha ha



They loved it! 2 days to go...